Harvard Law School (HLS) marked International Women’s Day by celebrating a trailblazing Filipina, Erlinda Arce Ignacio Espiritu, who made history as the first woman to earn a degree from HLS.
Born and raised in the Philippines, Espiritu drew inspiration from the legends of the Knights of the Round Table, vowing to “defend the defenseless.”
“The knights were always defending the defenseless, and I thought, how could I do that?” HLS quoted Espiritu as saying in an Instagram post on March 9.
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Despite the challenges of World War II and the Japanese occupation, she pursued her legal studies, becoming one of the few women lawyers in the country by 1947.
Her journey led her to HLS, where she enrolled in the Master of Laws (LL.M.) program at a time when women were still rare in the legal field. In 1951, she made history as the first woman to graduate from HLS.
In October 2007, 55 years after graduating, the then 82-year-old Espiritu returned to HLS as the guest of honor at an LL.M. dinner.
“As the guest of honor at an LL.M. dinner, she (Espiritu) thanked Harvard for ‘the opportunity to learn well, not only in the matters of law but in improving the lives of our fellow men,” the HLS said.
“After her speech, many recent LL.M. graduates flocked to her table to thank her for blazing a trail for them,” it added.
A true pioneer, Espiritu’s legacy continues to inspire women in law worldwide.
